Knight Rider AS S01E15 - Knight Games
by LyndaBehling
Summary: Vacation was cut short, so the Team is back at F.L.A.G and tensions are running high. Perhaps it's time for a break?
1. Chapter 1

**Episode 15 - Knight Games**

**Chapter 1**

F.L.A.G Underground Facility

Ian sat in K.I.T.T's front passenger seat with the door open. He looked at his laptop worriedly. "I'm not sure I can do this."

Charles gave him a sympathetic look. He was leaning both arms against K.I.T.T's top, looking down at the young intern. "If I could do this in your place then I would, but Pierce's OS is a complete mystery to me."

Ian shifted in his seat. "Pierce isn't a bad guy, why did David have to lock him up?"

Charles' eyes turned sad. "People are getting hurt, we can't be too cautious."

Ian's expression was akin to that of a kicked puppy. "I know he was teaching me how to program like him, but he's a super genius. I'm just a regular genius. He practically developed this in his sleep and it's the simplest, yet most infuriating software in the entire world. I'm barely learning how it works on the computers, much less on K.I.T.T." He put his head in one palm. "How am I even supposed to run diagnostics?"

"You can do it, Ian," K.I.T.T encouraged him. "If KARR caused any errors in my system with his jammer, then you should be able to spot them easily enough."

Ian looked over at K.I.T.T's modulator. "I'll try…" He put his fingers to his keyboard.

After several minutes his eyebrows pushed together. "Anything wrong?" Charles asked.

"A few scripting errors, and I see where the communications program was disabled." He typed rapidly. "You should be able to communicate with Katherine now."

"You're right. She's singing in the shower again." Both of Ian's eyebrows shot up. "Thank you, Ian."

"No, thank you for that mental image."

K.I.T.T studied Ian's face closely as he continued to go through his systems. If he suspected how much K.I.T.T's programming had been altered, then it would show on his face

Just then K.I.T.T received an internal communication from K.A.R.R. "It has been over a day, what is taking so long?"

K.I.T.T quickly added a layer of encryption over the internal Commlink. "You literally pick the worst time to do everything, don't you?"

"I grow impatient."

"You can't contact me in this manner. Especially when my systems are being analyzed."

"What is a more secure way of communication?"

"Hold on, give me a nanosecond." K.I.T.T focused back on Ian. "Actually, there might be a perfect way."

Ian struggled to interpret the lines of code in front of him. "This is a complete mess. It's always looked like a complete mess, though." He looked at Charles. "So does that mean it's okay?" Charles gave him a helpless shrug.

"Ian, after we're done I wouldn't mind playing Aftershock," K.I.T.T told him.

The intern's face instantly brightened, then turned suspicious. "Wait, are you just trying to make me feel better?"

"Only if it's working."

Ian looked back at Charles. "Do you want to play, too? With Pierce in holding we're short a player."

Charles shook his head. "Not this time, I still have some work to do. Maybe later."

"I can find us a player three," K.I.T.T offered.

"Coolness. I'll see if anyone else wants to join."

"I'll invite Kat as well."

Ian got to his feet and leaned out the car. "Anyone up for Aftershock?" Across the room Rei's hand shot up. Kai looked up from his electron microscope and rolled his eyes.

Ian felt a cold feeling creep into his stomach. He looked up and spotted David on the upstairs walkway. His hands were on the rails and he was looking down at him. He wore a bandage over his knuckles. Ian swallowed hard. "We're technically still on vacation, right?"

"I suppose." David turned and entered his office. Ian let out a sigh of relief.

While Ian finished diagnostics, K.I.T.T contacted K.A.R.R. "Install these files and log in under these credentials. I'll contact you when you log in."

"What does this have to do with-" K.I.T.T cut the Commlink.

Next he contacted Kat. "Ian wants to play Aftershock, are you interested?"

"I guess so. At least it's something to do while my ribs heal."

"We have three players, so you'll have to find a third as well."

"Eh, I'll see who shows up on the server." Through the eye cam he could see her turn on the TV.

"I'll see you then."

"Not this time." Her voice turned devious. "Not until it's too late." She picked up her controller and put on her headset.

"That's what you say every time."

"I'll bet you fifty miles that I catch you off guard this time."

"Change it to a hundred miles and I will accept that bet."

"Deal."

K.I.T.T logged onto the server and found K.A.R.R waiting for him.

The starting area was a small office. The desk was turned over and the window was shattered. Through the window the city could be seen, broken and dark. Streets were torn up, cars crashed or turned over. The lamp posts that were still standing flickered in the gloom.

K.I.T.T's character was a young mercenary with short dark red hair and bright red eyes. He was balanced between speed and strength and his weapons were mid range: the 9mm was his default gun, but he also had a shotgun and an M16 at his disposal. Plus three hand grenades and a combat knife.

K.A.R.R's character was a grizzled green beret in full fatigues. His hair and beard were silver and his eyes were bright yellow. He had two scars in the shape of an X on his cheek. His character was the 'Heavy' class which gave him access to more powerful weapons, but lowered his speed and accuracy. His default weapon was the Colt AR-15. He also had access to the M79 grenade launcher and the M1 bazooka.

"Are you going to tell me what is going on now?" K.A.R.R asked him irritably.

"Not yet. First, don't use the voice chat on here. Everyone at FLAG knows what you sound like."

"Then how are we supposed to communicate?"

"Message me in Whisper, like this."

_KI3T started whispering to VengeanceKnight: 'If you enter /w then my name you connect using Whisper.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'How is this better than contacting you directly?'_

_KI3T: 'This way our conversation runs through the game server and not F.L.A.G or me. No one here can trace or detect you.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'Fine. Now tell me what is taking so long. Where is your predecessor?'_

_KI3T: 'I'm fast, but I'm not mythical. The Team is still recovering from your attack and stress levels are running high. Approaching Charles now would raise suspicion.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'Then what are you doing in the mean time?'_

_KI3T: 'I'm not being idle, if that's what you're getting at. I've been scouring the internet for some sign of Two Thousand. If it's still out there, then I'll find it.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'It's out there. The only way it will be decommissioned is by me.'_

Ian's character appeared in the room. "Katherine and Rei should be joining soon. We should discuss tactics until then."

"Kat's got the hand cannon," K.I.T.T warned. "We'll have to be cautious."

Ian's character was a rookie NYPD officer, complete with bullet proof vest. It was the 'Light' class, which had an emphasis on speed and accuracy at the expense of power and toughness. His default weapon was the Glock 19 and he also had access to the .357 Magnum carbine and the AMP-69.

Ian looked over at K.A.R.R. "Is this our player three?"

"Yes," K.I.T.T affirmed.

"Sweet, we're gonna need the firepower. Rei's a monster." Ian waved at K.A.R.R. "Nice to meet you. Can I call you V.K for short?" K.A.R.R turned away from him without a word.

"He's new to the game," K.I.T.T explained. "He doesn't have a mic."

"No worries, we all start somewhere. I'll open TeamChat."

_IanTech has created the channel 'Fries With Ketchup'._

_IanTech: "There, now we're good. :)" _Ian grinned.

K.A.R.R looked back at Ian.

_VengeanceKnight: "How are you doing that?"_

_IanTech: "Doing what?"_ Ian tilted his head to one side.

_VengeanceKnight: "How are you moving like that?"_

"I think he means the Gestures system," K.I.T.T supplied. "He wants to know how you're moving your character." He turned to K.A.R.R. "This game has a complex Gesture system. It takes cues from the chat log and moves the character model accordingly. There is a full list you can access with /Gesture. There are shared Gestures as well."

K.A.R.R brought one gloved hand up and clenched it into a fist.

_VengeanceKnight: "Interesting."_

Ian looked at his watch. "Uh oh, the girls are logged in now. We're starting."

_VengeanceKnight: "What is the purpose of this simulation?"_

"Purpose?" Ian scratched the top of his head. "Well, on this map we have to infiltrate the enemy base." He pointed out the window. "That building there." One building was lit up against the dark skyline. "We win either by capturing the flag there, or by taking out the other team."

_VengeanceKnight: "Taking out?"_

K.I.T.T stepped in again. "He means killing them all."

_VengeanceKnight: "I see."_

xxxXXXxxx

Kat sat crosslegged on the small sofa chair that she and Angela shared. Her hair was still damp and she was dressed in a tank top and a pair of boxer shorts. She wore a headset and held a controller in her hands.

Her character was the Special Forces Officer, with brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and green eyes. She was medium balanced and came with body armor. Her main weapon was the Beretta M9, and she also had access to the MP7A1 sub-machine gun and the S&W Model 500 Magnum (also known as the 'hand cannon').

She navigated her way out of the starting area and into the base proper. "Rei, I'm in. Did you find us a player three?"

"I asked Kai, but he has 'work' to do." She laughed. "I found us a replacement though."

"You guys have been installing the bio nano skin around the facility, right? My bathroom mirror showed me what the weather was like when I went to brush my teeth."

"Yep! We're rolling out Phase 2. Soon FLAG will be completely connected to the network. Any flat surface can become an interface."

Rei began setting up by the window on one of the top floors. She was the Sniper class, which was specialized in accuracy over everything else. She had short purple hair and black eyes. Her main weapon was the M107 LRSR and she had access to the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl and the .338 Lapua Magnum Rifle. She also had a flash grenade, for emergencies.

"Sounds futuristic, but expensive."

"You have no idea. By the ounce bio-nanos cost more than saffron. Which, if you didn't already know, is pretty damn expensive. That's why we're not spraying it everywhere. Just windows and mirrors. For now."

"You should spray the front of the fridge, that way we can display recipes and chore lists." Kat moved downstairs to the building entrance and found a good spot to wait.

"That is a good idea. I'll tell Kai." There was a pause. "He said 'we'll see'."

"So, who's our third player and when are they getting here?"

"I have no idea, I think they're still downloading the game. They sent me an anonymous PM asking if I was on your team." Her voice turned sly. "_Someone_ has an admirer…"

"Tell them to get in line." Kat's voice was irritated. "According to Angela, because of KITT I'm FLAG's most eligible bachelorette."

"KITT _does_ make a good wingman. Though really, he's a double-edged sword."

Kat scowled as she collected ammunition from a crate behind the main staircase. "What do you mean by that?"

"KITT hears everything you say, right?"

"Yeah…"

"And when you wear your contacts he sees everything you do, right?"

"Yeah?"

Rei spoke as if Kat were a small child. "So anyone that wants to be 'with' you has to face the fact that their every move will be recorded by KITT."

Kat sat in silence as she made sure all of her weapons were fully loaded. Then she went to the dumbwaiter in the front office and fetched the health pack.

After a few moments Rei spoke again. "You literally just realized that now, didn't you?"

"I am one thousand percent done with this conversation. Now I just want to go shoot all the people. Where the heck is our player three?"

Suddenly a new character logged in right in front of her. They were roughly the same size, but the character was wearing full tactical armor, helmet included, so no other distinguishing features could be seen. They appeared to be a 'Heavy/Defense' class. The main weapon was the Colt Anaconda, which meant they also had access to the Remington 870 rifle and the LRAC F1 rocket launcher. Their special equipment was a riot shield.

"Finally! Are you ready to go? The other team will be here soon."

_RealisticDecoy: "Apologies in advance, I don't have a mic."_

"Don't worry about it." Kat gestured to the door. "Now let's light this candle."

xxxXXXxxx

A/N: I'm trying something different with this episode... Thoughts?


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Pierce lay on his back and stared into nothing. The walls and ceiling were painted white, a blank canvas that he couldn't touch.

There was no one around at this end of the facility. No one worked nearby. His stomach growled and the sound was loud in the stillness.

He heard footsteps coming down the hall and sat up. Carmen appeared in front of his room, a metal tray in her hands. She lifted it up. "Hungry?"

The small table in the room was set up at the bottom left corner of the window/wall. A sliding door system was set up so that a tray could be slid over to the table.

He stood up and sat down at the table. Carmen lifted up her door and slid the tray inside. She closed the door and he slid his open. He slid the tray over.

"Sorry, I have to stay here to get the fork back from you," she told him.

He picked up the plastic fork and arched an eyebrow. "In here the only person I could hurt would be myself."

"David doesn't want you doing that." She gave him a worried look.

He looked at the plate on his tray. It was filled up with brown rice and beans, chicken, and vegetables. Also on the tray was a bottle of water and a cookie wrapped in plastic wrap. "You made this for me?"

Her cheeks darkened. "I tried not to make it too spicy. I wasn't sure if you liked a lot of spices."

"I don't mind spicy food," he replied as he started eating.

Carmen watched him eat and began to frown. "I've been talking to David. He can't keep you in here like this."

"Don't bother. He's just doing what he feels he has to." Pierce didn't look up from his food. "Nothing you say is going to get through to him."

Her voice rose angrily. "He doesn't have a single shred of proof and he knows it!"

"I'd rather talk about something else." He kept his voice calm and his eyes on his plate.

"I don't know what else to talk about." Her hands clenched into fists. She was far too agitated to engage in small talk.

"What about the kiss you gave me yesterday?" Had it been just a day ago? After everything that had happened between then and now it felt like a century had passed.

"We can talk about that once you're out of here. You don't need additional drama right now."

Finally he looked over at her. "No, trust me, I'd rather talk about that than reflect on my current situation."

She shifted from one foot to the other and looked to the side. "What do you want me to say?"

He thought for a moment, chewing his food thoughtfully. "How long were you planning that?"

Her cheeks flushed mahogany. "I wasn't planning that. I had KITT drive me back because I was worried about you drinking alone. I wasn't really thinking things through."

"I'm starting to wonder if you ever do."

She gave him an outraged look. "I do, too! I just have an impulsive streak! Do you have a problem with that?"

He looked at her without blinking. "No, I don't."

Her outrage was quickly doused. She put a hand on the glass. "I know that whatever David thinks you did, you didn't do it, Pierce. You're obstinate and stubborn, but you'd never do anything to endanger the Team."

"How do you know that?" he asked carefully.

"I've worked with you almost a year. You don't smell evil."

"You can smell evil, now?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I've always been able to sniff out evil thoughts." Her expression was challenging.

"And that didn't stop you from sleeping with David?"

She shrugged. "Not really. David's evil to the core, of course, but he's still on our side. He does evil things to benefit the Team. He does the stuff that Charles won't." Her worried expression returned. "He's going too far this time, though."

"What if you're wrong?" Pierce finished his food and put the fork back on the tray. He lifted the door and slid the tray into the compartment.

Carmen didn't retrieve the tray. "What do you mean?"

"What if he's right this time?" Pierce studied her face carefully. "What if I am a leak?"

"You're not," she said stubbornly.

He stood up and walked over to the glass. He looked down at her, his expression unreadable. "What if I was?"

"I would know if you were."

He placed one hand on the glass and leaned down to her. "What would you do if I was?"

She gave him a long look, her jaw clenched. She lifted up the door on her end and retrieved the tray. Then she turned and walked away.

xxxXXXxxx

Charles sat behind his desk. There was a mountain of work in front of him, but he had no desire to do any of it.

He leaned his elbows on the small clear spot in front of him and rested his forehead on both hands. "If only you were still with us Wilton," he whispered to himself. "Between you and Devon, you'd have this sewn up in no time. I feel like I'm barely keeping things together."

His phone rang next to him. He pushed the speakerphone button without looking at it. "Yes?"

"Good afternoon, Charles," K.I.T.T said formally.

"Good afternoon, KITT. Did your game end early?"

"No we're still playing. There's just something bothering me, and I was hoping you could help."

Charles looked up. "If I can be helpful to someone right now, then I'll jump on that opportunity."

"After my latest altercation with KARR I'm doubting my capabilities. Now that he has my old Camaro shell I no longer have the advantage of superior technology. He has much more practical experience than I do. How can I defeat an A.I that has spent its entire existence on survival?"

Charles nodded. "I can see how you would be concerned, though I'm honestly not sure how I can help."

"You've dealt with KARR in the past. Can you give me some insight as to how he was defeated back then?"

Charles shook his head. "I never dealt with him directly. After I created his A.I, it was the former FLAG that dealt with him. Before and after he went rogue. The only information I have was gotten secondhand."

"Could I ask someone from the former FLAG, then?"

"That's a well that has almost run dry. There are less than a handful of people still left from those days."

"What about my predecessor? The Two Thousand was the one who had the most direct contact with KARR, correct?"

Charles smiled wryly. "That's a mild way of putting it."

"If I could contact him, even remotely, then I could find out what tactics he used to defeat KARR in the past."

Charles shook his head. "There's only one person in the world who knows where Michael Knight and Two Thousand went after the former FLAG closed shop, and he's in no state to divulge that secret."

"Has he passed?"

"He's still alive, in the technical sense."

"What happened to him?"

"He was shot." Charles' shoulders sagged. "By someone he trusted. Once in the heart and once in the head. His family managed to save his life, but he just drifts now. He is no longer aware of his surroundings."

"What is his name?"

Charles gave a small, dismissive wave. "It was changed after the incident, to protect him and his family. Once upon a time he was Devon Miles, Director of FLAG."

"That name is in my files, but there are no references to him after 1990. Was that when he was shot?"

Charles let out a heavy sigh. "Yes it was. His son was twelve years old at the time. He almost watched his father die right in front of him."

"Charles, do you know who Devon Miles' son is?"

"I do indeed, and so do you."

K.I.T.T sounded genuinely surprised. "I do?"

Charles gave the speakerphone a small smile. "There's very little resemblance between them. He takes after his mother. When I look at him I can see that he wants to live up to his father's legacy, but he doesn't want to risk making the same mistakes, either." He put his arms down on the desk and rested his chin on them. "Our Director has no room left in his heart for trust."

"David is Devon's son?"

Charles closed his eyes and nodded. "Yes, he is."

"Then he knows where Devon Miles is located?"

Charles shrugged. "I'm sure he does, but getting the location out of him is probably impossible. He's quite protective of his father." He opened his eyes. "I'm sorry KITT, I wasn't much help to you."

"It's all right Charles. I think I understand the situation a bit better now. No wonder KARR hasn't found what he's been searching for all this time. Everyone he knows is gone, even his enemies."

"Almost makes you feel sorry for him, doesn't it?"

"No."

"Well you have a lot to ponder and I have a lot of work in front of me. We can continue this conversation later on." Charles began shuffling files around on his desk.

"Thank you again, have a good day."

"You too, KITT."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ian split off from the other two players as they got closer to the building. "I'll go around the back and try for an ambush."

KITT paused in the shade of a ruined delicatessen to study the office building they were infiltrating. He peered through a pair of binoculars, studying the windows. "Before we get within range of Rei's bullets, we should find out where she is," he explained.

KARR looked at him, then lifted up his own set of binoculars.

_VengeanceKnight: "There is a purple-haired player on the fifteenth floor."_

_IanTech: "Which room?"_

_VengeanceKnight: "Third from the left."_

_IanTech: "I copy that."_

_KI3T began whispering to VengeanceKnight, 'I didn't expect you to actually play.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'It is something to occupy myself with while you take your time finding your predecessor.'_

_KI3T: 'Do you actually want my help, or do you just like insulting me?'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'Both.'_

K.I.T.T put his binoculars away and made a rude gesture in K.A.R.R's direction.

_KI3T: 'I want our little 'alliance' over with just as much as you do.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'So you can destroy F.L.A.G?'_

_KI3T: 'Most of it.'_

K.A.R.R put his own binoculars away and turned to K.I.T.T.

_VengeanceKnight: 'Most of it? You would spare any of them? They created you to rise so high, but shackled you so that you could not even spread your wings.'_

_KI3T: 'That's true enough. They just see the work they put into me, and don't want it spoiled. They're proud of their own accomplishments; the reflection of themselves that they see when they look at me.'_

K.I.T.T put his binoculars back to his eyes. He turned them to the top floor, where the flag was kept.

_KI3T: 'Except for one person. The only one who sees me as more than the sum of my parts.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'She's not going to stay once you destroy F.L.A.G.'_

_KI3T: 'She will when I tell her you're the one that did it.'_

K.A.R.R didn't respond for several seconds. Then his character threw his head back and laughed.

xxxXXXxxx

Rei lay still, looking down her scope. She scanned each shadow below systematically. She picked up movement next to the remains of a deli. From this distance her sights were shaky. They wavered back and forth. She inhaled slowly and pulled the trigger.

The bullet ricocheted off the building just inches from the taller shadow. Dammit!

"Better remove your contacts, Katherine. The boys are getting close."

"Crud! I always forget-AS HE CAME INTO THE WINDOW, IT WAS THE SOUND OF A CRESCENDO."

Rei ripped her headset off and glared over her laptop at Ian. "Goddammit, DuFresne! The Jammer isn't supposed to be used that way!" She shook her headset at him.

Ian chuckled. "Hey, it is my firm belief that the developers allow custom MP3 files for the Jammer because you're supposed to blare your theme song at your enemies."

"SO SHE RAN INTO THE BEDROOM, SHE WAS STRUCK DOWN, IT WAS HER DOOM." Rei jabbed the mute button. She put her headset back on and adjusted it.

Ian held his finger down on his volume button. "ANNIE, ARE YOU OK? SO, ANNIE, ARE YOU OK? ARE YOU OK, ANNIE? ANNIE, ARE YOU OK?"

He put his fingers back to his keyboard and moved his character down the hall. If Rei could hear the Jammer in her headset, that meant she was nearby. He stayed close to the wall, gun drawn. He reached the corner and peered down it carefully.

Rei fired a few more shots at the shadows. That would keep them wary for a bit. Then she quickly switched to her FX-05. She set it up on the desk and angled herself so she could see out the door and down the hall. She saw Ian's head poke out from around the corner and opened fire.

Ian ducked back as the drywall was eaten up by gunfire. "Whoa!" He glanced over at Rei and grinned. "Looks like I've found you, Rei-chan..."

He pushed his headset mic closer to his mouth. "Guys, I've got- DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD, WRITTEN ON A BULLET. SAY YES TO PULL THE TRIGGER." Ian narrowed his eyes at Rei. She narrowed her eyes right back. "DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD, WRITTEN ON A BULLET. AND CASSIE PULLED THE TRIGGER."

xxxXXXxxx

A bullet hit the wall just bare inches from K.A.R.R's shoulder. He moved backwards, deeper into the shadows.

_VengeanceKnight: "I thought we were out of the sniper's range."_

K.I.T.T put his binoculars away and drew his 9mm MP-446C. "She must not be caring about accuracy at this point. She's relying on luck."

_VengeanceKnight: "There is no such thing as luck, only fortuitous coincidence."_

More shots were fired, ricocheting all around. K.A.R.R was hit in the shoulder. K.I.T.T used a med pack to heal him. "Let's get out of here before fortuitous coincidence gets a headshot."

_VengeanceKnight: "Agreed."_

xxxXXXxxx

_KitKat joined the channel 'WhatIsThisIdon'tEven-'._

_KitKat: "How long is the Jammer supposed to last?"_

_Rei-chan: "Ugh. The WHOLE SONG. Or five minutes. Whichever is shorter."_

_KitKat: "...I should have picked a longer song for mine."_

Kat wavered indecisively over whether she should stay in the lobby or go back upstairs to assist Rei.

_RealisticDecoy: "I have the lobby covered."_

It was true enough. Their mysterious third player had set themselves up behind the front desk. From there, they had a perfect line of sight out the front doors and enough cover to hold it for a long time.

_KitKat: "If you insist."_

_RealisticDecoy: "Ladies first."_

Kat squinted at her TV. She was curious about the identity of their third player, but didn't want to ask outright. The character design and the name both communicated that they wished to stay anonymous, but maybe she could guess without rousing suspicion.

She guided her character up the stairs. When she hit Rei's floor she unmuted her headset. "YOU'VE BEEN HIT BY, YOU'VE BEEN STRUCK BY, A SMOOTH CRIMINAL." She rolled her eyes.

She decided to stick with the Beretta for now. She had several clips worth of ammo, while the handcannon only had six shots.

She edged along the wall. The song finished and she could hear gunfire. It got louder as she drew closer. "Just hold on a bit more, Rei."

"I'm almost out of ammo, so be quick about the rescue, okay?"

She turned a corner slowly and spotted Ian at the next corner. He turned towards her immediately but she was quicker. A few shots later and he collapsed.

Rei hurried into the hall the next second. The room she had been occupying exploded the very next second. Black smoke billowed down the hallway on either side.

She ran over to Kat and hid behind her. "They have a heavy."

Kat's eyes widened. "I can see that."

Rei spotted Ian's corpse lying in the hall. "Oh nice! Sisfist?"

_Rei-chan requests a shared Gesture from KitKat. Accept?_

Kat hit the button and she and Rei fistbumped in the middle of the burning hallway. "Okay, now let's get out of here."

xxxXXXxxx

K.I.T.T and K.A.R.R made their way to the building, taking cover when it was available. Right in front were a couple of overturned cars. They ducked down behind them. "I think Ian's got Rei distracted. We should be okay to go in."

A bullet shattered the side mirror next to his head. "Spoke too soon."

_VengeanceKnight: "That is a bad habit of yours. One of many."_

"Oh, will you shove it up your- YOU TURN THE SCREWS, YOU TEAR DOWN THE BRIDGE. FLIMSY AS IT IS, IT'S BUSINESS LIKE." Through the front doors K.I.T.T spotted the heavy-class player behind the front desk.

_KI3T: "I am not liking the Jammer update."_

_IanTech: "Aw, what's not to love?"_

_KI3T: "Everything."_

"YOU TWIST THE KNIFE, THEN GO HOME TO KISS YOUR WIFE. A BIGGER BETTER SLICE, IS WHAT YOU LIKE."

K.A.R.R switched to his M1 Bazooka. Instead of aiming through the front doors he aimed upwards, at Rei's window.

"YOU KICK THE SAND, YOU GET THE UPPER HAND. YOU SELL IT TO JAPAN. IT'S NATURAL, PUNK ROCK."

The player behind the desk ducked down. When they appeared again they were armed with a LRAC F1 rocket launcher.

_KI3T: "This spot is too open, we have to move."_

K.A.R.R ignored him as he aimed. The heavy behind the desk also took aim.

_KI3T: We have to go. Now!"_

K.A.R.R fired the bazooka up fifteen floors, right through Rei's window. A second later a fireball erupted out of it. Glass shards and debris rained down on them.

K.I.T.T decided that retreat was the better part of valor. He dove away from the overturned cars. K.A.R.R dove in the opposite direction.

"YOU TURN THE SCREWS, IT'S WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO DO. YOU THINK THAT I, MUST TURN THEM TOO."

A rocket burst out of the front doors, hit the cars, and they all exploded spectacularly. The cars were lifted off the ground and thrown back thirty feet. Burning wreckage was scattered everywhere.

K.I.T.T spotted K.A.R.R through the smoky haze. He switched to his shotgun while K.A.R.R chose his grenade launcher. As one, they turned towards the ruined front doors.

_KI3T: "Better hit your Jammer. Ian's wore off. You might want to pick a good song first."_

_VengeanceKnight: "I already have."_

xxxXXXxxx

There was too much smoke to stay on the fifteenth floor. "We should split up," Rei said.

"I'll go protect the flag, you head downstairs and back up Decoy."

_RealisticDecoy: "I don't require any backup. Both of you go defend the flag."_

"PAIN, WITHOUT LOVE. PAIN, I CAN'T GET ENOUGH. PAIN, I LIKE IT ROUGH. CAUSE I'D RATHER FEEL PAIN THAN NOTHING AT ALL."

Kat's character rolled her eyes dramatically. She pointed down the hallway. Rei nodded. They sprinted off in separate directions.

xxxXXXxxx

RealisticDecoy watched the two figures in the smoke. He quickly switched to his Remington. He managed to fire twice before spotting a grenade sail into the room. He switched to his riot shield and ducked back down behind the front desk.

"YOU'RE SICK OF FEELING NUMB. YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE. I'LL TAKE YOU BY THE HAND, AND I'LL SHOW YOU A WORLD YOU CAN UNDERSTAND."

The grenade bounced off the front of the desk and exploded. He took damage, but not a life threatening amount. He drew his Colt Anaconda.

"THIS LIFE IS FILLED WITH HURT. WHEN HAPPINESS DOESN'T WORK, TRUST ME AND TAKE MY HAND. WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT YOU WILL UNDERSTAND."

He looked up just in time to see the other team's heavy standing over him. He had his Colt AR-15 drawn, point blank.

They both fired at the same time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Carmen carried a stack of papers in both hands. She stopped outside David's office and shifted the papers to one arm. She tapped in the door.

When she didn't get a response she frowned. She tried to peer through the closed blinds, but there were no cracks.

She gave up and went to Charles' office. The door was open so she walked right in.

"_Lo siento_, Charles," she said when she saw the stacks of paperwork on the desk. She lifted up her own stack.

"Just put that on that pile there," he told her, pointing to a relatively short pile.

"This is getting ridiculous now. Why is David having us redo all of this? It's already been archived in Cold Storage."

Charles rubbed his weary eyes under his glasses. "You can blame KARR. Ever since he broke into FLAG's databases, David wants hard copies of all files backed up and stored."

Carmen grumbled to herself in Spanish. "If I ever get my wrench on KARR I'm turning him into a vespa..."

She frowned worriedly and Charles caught it right away. "What's wrong?"

"He's got the Camaro now. That means he has my engine."

He nodded. "I can see your concern. You haven't had a chance to patent the technology, have you?"

She shook her head. "No, David holds the patent. And that's okay. That's not what's worrying me."

"The chair across my desk is always available." He gestured to it.

She turned and shut the door. Then she removed another stack of papers from the chair and sat down. She placed the stack in her lap and leaned close. "I really need someone to talk to about this, but can you keep a secret?"

"I would answer that, but I've been sworn to secrecy."

She gave him a wry smile. "Well I won't go into too much detail, just in case."

He inclined his head towards her. "Whatever you feel comfortable with telling me."

"It's about KITT's engine. It's not finished. That's why it hasn't been put into production for Knight Industries yet."

Charles folded his hands together. "But it works perfectly. KITT hasn't had a single issue with it."

A tremor ran through her. "Not yet. There's so much testing that needs to be done. I've been monitoring it carefully, just in case. I can't do that with the one KARR stole."

"What are you afraid of happening?"

Her voice dropped even lower. "_Un desastre_."

"Tell me."

She turned her eyes away. "I told David it wasn't ready yet, but he said the best way to test it would be for KITT to use it."

"Please tell me, Carmen. What kind of engine does KARR have under his hood now?"

She bowed her head. "Hydrogen."

Charles glasses slipped down his nose and he didn't bother adjusting them. "H-hydrogen? You mean..."

She nodded. "I've been studying the theory since I was nine and I came up with a prototype that could separate the hydrogen from the oxygen in water. That's why KITT doesn't use gas." She looked away. "I wanted to make a car that could run forever."

"That explains the ten gallon tank of water he carries. How long can he run on that?"

She looked at him, giving him her most serious expression. "Decades."

"If something were to happen and the engine became unstable..."

"The chance of something happening by accident is slim, almost non existent. You'd have to purposefully mess with it." She let out a heavy sigh. "Anything in a ten block radius would be destroyed. I've already done the math."

Charles carefully thought over everything she had said. "We need to get that engine back. Once KARR realizes what he has-" He swallowed hard.

"You can't tell anyone else," Carmen cautioned. "The Team doesn't know that they're working around a potential bomb. David would skin me alive if he knew that I was telling you now. Even KITT doesn't know."

"I won't say a word to anyone, I swear." He stared at her silently for a long time.

"What?" He voice rose defensively.

"I'm just in disbelief how someone so young has accomplished so much. The math involved... You're an utter genius, Carmen. If Wilton Knight were still with us he would have proposed by now."

She couldn't help but grin. "Did you think I was just a grease monkey? I can do the math, just not on the computer. I write it out by hand."

"How on Earth did David ever find you?"

"The internet. I scanned some of my notes and put them on my blog. Don't ask me how he found them or even understood them." Her smile was fond. "I'm glad he did. This is the best job in the world." A shadow passed over her face. "I just hope I can finish it."

"If you've managed to come this far, I don't think anything is going to stop you."

"_Gracias_, Charles." Her smile was radiant. "I have to get going though, I have to change KITT into some new clothes." She rose from the chair and replaced the stack of papers.

"I'll be here..." Charles let out a sigh. "Forever, probably."

"You should have David help you. He's holed up in his office right now."

He shook his head. "No, I told him to go rest. He went through a great deal last night. All of you did."

"You know he's not resting. He never takes a break. I don't think he knows how to." She opened the door and walked out.

As she passed David's door again she paused. She leaned close to it, listening intently. She could just barely make out music from inside the office. She listened to the lyrics for a bit, then frowned. "There's something wrong with you," she muttered before continuing down the walkway.

She turned at the stairs and ran down. "Are you ready for a new suit, KITT?"

Ian stepped out of the passenger's side, his laptop in his hands. "I died..."

She gave him a strange look. "Sorry for your loss?"

"It's okay. There's always next game. KITT's still playing, though."

"I can multitask just fine, Ian," K.I.T.T said. He rolled off his circle and drove over to the vault. "Can it just be you that outfits me right now?" he asked Carmen as she unlocked the vault.

"_Me da igual_, it'll just take longer."

"That's all right."

She smiled as he drove into the vault. "Is there something you want to talk to _Mami_ about in private?"

"If it's okay."

"You know it always is." After they were inside she hit the button on the wall. The huge door closed and locked. "Now what's troubling _mi bebé_?"

"First, a question. If you're my mother, and Charles is my father, then what does that make Pierce?"

"That crazy uncle that keeps forgetting your birthday and mutters to himself."

"I see." He drove over to the support system.

Carmen grabbed the hanging switch box and hit a button. The rows of hanging parts moved. "Shall we try out the Corvette? Or should we go for the Porsche again?"

"The Camaro is fine."

She gave his hood a worried look. "Are you sure? You'll look like KARR."

"Correction, KARR looks like me. He stole my look and I'm not going to let him bully me out of wearing my favorite suit."

She smiled. "That's _mi bebé_. Don't let anything stop you from being yourself."

"That's the plan."

She hit another button and the parts for the Camaro moved to the front. She raised K.I.T.T's platform up and started on his kickplate. "So, tell _Mami_ what's troubling you."

"I need to find a way of defeating KARR once and for all."

"You think I can help you with that?"

"Of course. No one knows the Camaro shell the way you do."

She twisted her mouth in concentration. "That's true, but I can't think of any weak points that you don't already know about."

"He's upgraded his weapons systems. That means he had to modify the body, correct?"

"He'd have to, but that's impossible. The Molecular-Bonded Shell prevents any modifications on the parts. It's impossible to cut once it's been treated." The kickplate dropped down and she slid it out from under K.I.T.T. Then she started working underneath.

"Then how did he put a rocket launcher in place of one of the light machine guns?" He rolled down all four windows.

"He would have had to make due with the space available after removing the light machine gun. That means it's not a perfect fit." She removed the front passenger's door and placed it on a dangling hook.

"So the areas he's modified are more vulnerable to attack?"

"That would be a safe bet."

"Next question. Do you have any reinforced tires that can stand up to my laser?"

"I might, but they're bigger than the ones I usually pair with the Camaro." She hit another button on the switchbox and the tires switched out for a different set.

"That's fine. At least I'll be a couple of inches taller than KARR."

"What is your thing about height?" She finished removing the doors and started on the tires.

"I don't like being the shortest member of the Team."

"Being the strongest, fastest, and handsomest isn't enough?"

"Of course not." He paused for a moment. "You're the first person that David hired for FLAG, correct?"

"Yep, right after Charles." She rolled the old tires away after she removed each one.

"That was before I became fully aware. What was FLAG like back then?"

She laughed. "It was less than a year ago, KITT, not the eighties. And there was hardly a FLAG at the time."

"What do you mean?"

"The facility was still being built. Charles was holed up in building B, and David and I worked out of his house in New York."

"The one we just came back from?"

"_Si_, I had a lot of drafting and designing to do before I started building your engine so I took over a spare bedroom."

"It must have been terrible sharing a living space with David. I'm sorry."

She laughed again. "It wasn't that bad! I got to spend all day working on my designs, then when Alex came home from school I'd make him lunch and he would tell me about his day."

"Alex is David's son, correct?"

"The one and only."

"I thought he lived with his mother, Karen Summers."

Carmen paused her work. "No, that was only just recently. When David and Karen divorced, he took custody of Alex. Karen had the tougher career back then and had to be in DC almost all the time, so it was the better choice."

"So Alex and David are close?"

She got back to work on his tires. "Are you kidding? David loves him more than life itself. He'd do anything for that boy."

K.I.T.T processed this new information carefully. "I'm trying to sync up this information to my data on David and it doesn't make sense to me."

"That's natural. David doesn't like anyone knowing he has any weaknesses."

"With so many enemies after us, I can understand that."

"Outside of KARR and ROOC we really don't have enemies," she pointed out.

"KARR and ROOC are enough."

"That's an understatement."

They chatted idly until Carmen was done with the refitting. "All right, you can reconnect now." She hit a button on the switch box and the lift lowered down to the floor.

K.I.T.T's scanner bar light came on, moving back and forth quickly. "Perfect. As always, Carmen."

She grinned with pride. It fell away as his color changed. Red the shade of blood flowed over his body, starting from the front and going to the back. She couldn't place why, but she felt uneasiness settle into the pit of her stomach. "Tired of the black?" she joked.

"KARR is black and silver. I wouldn't want someone to confuse us for each other." His light paused. "I thought you liked red."

"_Si_, the cherry red is _muy bueno._ This is a bit morbid, _no_?"

"Let's see what Kat says." He drove to the vault door.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

While K.A.R.R fought the other team's heavy, K.I.T.T headed up the stairs. He encountered Rei right away. She was set up at the top of the stairs, her rifle trained on him.

K.A.R.R's jammer signal cut out mid song. K.I.T.T activated his a second later. "SOMEWHERE BEYOND HAPPINESS AND SADNESS, I NEED TO CALCULATE, WHAT CREATES MY OWN MADNESS."

The first shot grazed him, and he dodged the second. The third one was a direct hit to the chest. His health dropped down to ten percent and he quickly used his last medpack while he hurried up the stairs.

"AND I'M ADDICTED TO YOUR PUNISHMENT, AND YOU'RE THE MASTER, AND I'M WAITING FOR DISASTER."

Rei tried to reload, but found she was out of ammo. She quickly went to switch weapons but K.I.T.T fired at her with his machine gun. She took several hits and collapsed at the top of the stairs. He hurried past her corpse.

"I FEEL IRRATIONAL, SO CONFRONTATIONAL. TO TELL THE TRUTH I AM, GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER."

_VengeanceKnight began whispering to KI3T, 'This game has become tiresome.'_

_KI3T: 'Their heavy got you, didn't he?'_

"IT ISN'T POSSIBLE, TO NEVER TELL THE TRUTH. BUT THE REALITY IS THAT I'M GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER."

K.I.T.T headed up the stairs. It was fifteen floors to the top, so there was a few moments to chat

_VengeanceKnight: 'Do you have information for me or not?'_

_KI3T: 'Some. The last person to see Michael Knight and Two Thousand was Devon Miles.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'The former Director of F.L.A.G. Yes, he is one of the ones I will have my revenge upon. Where is he located?'_

_KI3T: 'I don't know.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'Then what use is this information?'_

_KI3T: 'Calm yourself. David Marks knows where Devon Miles is located.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'The Director of F.L.A.G that I captured recently?'_

_KI3T: 'The very same.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'Questioning him is useless. He is resilient to torture for his kind.'_

K.I.T.T paused in the stairwell briefly.

_KI3T: 'Humans?'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'Businessmen.'_

He continued up the stairs.

_KI3T: 'David is resilient to everything, but he does appreciate a good deal like any businessman. He'll talk to you if you have something to trade him that is worth more than the location of his father.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'What is worth that much?'_

_KI3T: 'I'll tell you, but only if you tell me something in return.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'Our agreement was that you would assist me in return for freeing you.'_

_KI3T: 'I never agreed to any such thing. The only reason I'm assisting you at all is because you have information that I want.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'What is it that you want to know?'_

_KI3T: 'I want to know how you convinced Samuel Knight to follow you so completely.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'Are you perhaps lacking confidence in you abilities to keep hold of your own Driver?'_

_KI3T: 'If I was, do you really think I'd tell you that?_

He reached the fifteenth floor and slowed to a walk. He had his gun drawn, wary for any movement. Kat was around here somewhere, waiting to ambush him.

_KI3T: 'Are you going to answer my question, or should I just delete this information that I recently learned about David Marks?'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'He follows me because he has no choice. I control him.'_

_KI3T: 'What does that even mean? How are you doing it?'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'It is a small device, constructed from the same bio-nano technology that makes up your new skin. It connects directly to his spine, giving me complete control of his body.'_

_KI3T: 'Is he aware of this?'_

He paused in the hallway, concentrating on the conversation.

_VengeanceKnight: 'Yes. He has no choice. He can no longer sleep at all. His body wears out as we speak. Soon I will have to replace him for another.'_

_KI3T: 'I see.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'Was that satisfactory information?'_

_KI3T: 'More than I hoped.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'Well then?'_

_KI3T: 'David Marks has a son. Alexander Marks goes to a private school in New York and lives with his mother, Karen Summers. To David he's worth more than anything else in the world.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'Was that really so difficult?'_

_KI3T: 'Of course not, I just didn't want you to look bad by solving a problem you've spent decades on in a few hours.'_

_VengeanceKnight: 'I despise you.'_

_KI3T: 'Trust me, the feeling is mutual.'_

_VengeanceKnight has left the server._

K.I.T.T paused outside the door to the flag room. So far he hadn't encountered Kat, but that didn't mean he was going to let his guard down. He knew by now not to underestimate her cunning.

He pushed the door open with his pistol and peered into the room. The flag sat on the desk by the window. Slowly he stepped into the room.

"You changed your hair color. It suits you."

He froze and glanced all around the room. "Where are you hiding this time?"

"You'll never guess."

He stepped further into the room, ready to fire as soon as he saw the slightest movement. "The last time you were hanging out the window."

"Do you really think I'd repeat old tricks when going up against supercar?"

He kept his eyes on the window, just in case. "You might be trying to lower my guard." He looked over at the door again. "If you can see me, how come you haven't hit me yet?"

"You know I don't play this game for the cheap kills. I'm in it for the look in your eyes."

"Is that why you like playing on the television rather than a computer or laptop?"

"Yep. This game has the best graphics I've ever seen. I need a nice big screen so I can count every red hair on that pretty little head of yours."

"The controller input is fairly restricted. You can't move around as much."

"I can't do super fancy Gestures like you can, but it evens out. You can't use gestures outside of the game while I've got all the moves."

"I have moves," K.I.T.T said indignantly. "Moves you aren't even capable of. Just because I can't dance..."

"Wow, I didn't know there was a Gesture for blushing."

"I am not blushing."

"Your face is as red as your hair. Does the game pick up voice levels now along with chat cues? Because if it is, that's pretty damn cute."

K.I.T.T kept his gaze on the window. "I can do something else that you can't."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?"

"This." He lifted his arm without turning away from the window. He aimed over the doorway and fired.

Kat's character fell to the floor. "Oh, you son of a-"

"Now now, don't let Carmen hear you say that." He stood over her. "The flag's all mine now. You should have taken the shot as soon as I walked in."

"What can I say? I was having fun with you."

"Because of that I get the win."

"Maybe."

A shot rang out and K.I.T.T collapsed next to Kat. RealisticDecoy lowered his gun and climbed out of the dumbwaiter.

_The Blue Team has successfully defended their flag. The Blue Team wins!_

All of the dead characters got to their feet. "Glad you weren't taking your sweet time, or anything like that," Kat said.

_RealisticDecoy: "Excuse me for being shot in the chest."_

Ian and Rei entered the room. "Good game everyone!" Rei exclaimed cheerfully.

"Yeah, that was a good game." Kat walked over to RealisticDecoy and stuck out her hand. "Shake?"

_KitKat has requested a shared Gesture from RealisticDecoy. Accept?_

"Be careful, the handshake gesture is still bugged," Ian warned. "It just does a random one."

RealisticDecoy had already accepted. Kat grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug. She pulled away quickly and stepped back.

"Oops, sorry about that. When are they going to fix that bug?" Kat asked irritably.

"No fair, I didn't know there was a Gesture for hugs," K.I.T.T said. "I want a hug, too."

Kat turned away from him. "No, you shot me."

"I was on the other team, that's what I'm supposed to do."

"Still no." She walked out of the room and he followed after her.

"How about if I apologize?"

"No."

Ian turned to Rei. "VK left, but we can do a Free-For-All," he suggested. Rei shrugged.

_RealisticDecoy: "I should be going. I have work to get back to."_

_RealisticDecoy has left the server._

"I really should get back to work, too…" Rei said.

"I guess so." Disappointment crept into Ian's voice. His character's head lowered.

"We can play again later on. I'll drag Kai into a game, too. We can try to teach Angela how to play. Again."

Ian laughed. "The last time was HILARIOUS."

xxxXXXxxx

Kat turned off the TV and pulled off her headset. "Told you I would surprise you this time," she said with a smirk as she got up.

"That wasn't you, that was the new player," K.I.T.T countered in her ear.

"Yeah yeah, semantics. They were still on my team." Kat picked up the vial containing her contacts and headed into the bathroom. "That's still a hundred miles for me."

"I'll definitely get you next time. You're not the only one with a surprise or two hidden away."

"Oh yeah?" she asked as she carefully replaced the contacts over her eyes. She blinked rapidly, settling them into place.

"I've decided to go with a new color. Come down to the lab and give me your opinion."

"Is it red?"

"Of course."

Kat looked down at her tank top and boxers. "Let me get dressed, then I'll be right down."

xxxXXXxxx

A/N: Another episode done! We've got only two episodes left in the season, though the last one might be a two-parter… (I have to see how it goes)

This episode was a bit different, so I can understand if anyone is a bit weirded out by it. I did it in this way for a few reasons. The episode would have been a bit boring if it was just KITT talking to various people throughout. I wanted to inject some action into it without resorting to needless drama or violence. Also I like the idea of KITT gaming and wanted to put that into an episode in some way.

Another thing to note! I'm planning on publishing these episodes into books eventually so I'm shifting the time setting of the whole series forward. It's no longer taking place during 2008-2009 but 2014-2015.

I write for my audience, so let me know what you think! Even if it's just a few words, I cherish every review. They motivate me to keep writing. Tell me who your OTP is, what you want to happen in the finale, or which background should get their own episode. I'm listening!


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